Best Things to Buy in July

With the summer in full swing, many retailers are eager to unload older items from floors and shelves, all to get ready for the back-to-school shopping rush next month. Many stores kick off their July sales starting around Independence Day and run them until quantities last.

Here are some of the products that tend to reach their lowest prices this month:

Outdoor Furniture
Patio and lawn furniture are hot sale items this month. Crate and Barrel, for example, is having its Summer Sale this month, offering select outdoor furniture for up to 50% off. Home Depot is offering up to 25% off patio furniture and Amazon.com is currently featuring outdoor furniture for as much as 40% off.

Kitchen Appliances
IKEA is running a kitchen appliance sale this month and into August that includes a 15% discount when you buy two major appliances - stoves, microwaves, etc. - for $199 each or higher. Buy more appliances with the same value and save 20% on your total purchase. Want to remodel your entire kitchen? IKEA is also offering 10% off when you spend at least $2,500 on an IKEA kitchen. For smaller kitchen appliances - blenders, toasters, coffee makers, etc. - check out Macy's, where you'll find big discounts this month on a wide variety.

Grills
Once the 4th of July barbecues are over, stores want to unload excess grills and grill accessories. At GrillsDirect.com find steep discounts on gas, charcoal and electric grills - plus get free shipping. PC Richard & Son is also also dropping prices on Char-Broil, Kitchen-Aid and Weber grills this month.

Lawn & Garden Items
We're midway through the summer, so sales of lawn and garden care items have slowed at this point. Amazon.com has several lawn mowers on sale for more than 50% off. Also, at Gardeners.com save up to 68% on gardening lawn care supplies.

Farnoosh Torabi is a personal finance journalist and commentator. She is the author of the new book Psych Yourself Rich, Get the Mindset and Discipline You Need to Build Your Financial Life. Follow her at www.farnoosh.tv and on Twitter at @farnoosh.